KEN HUNTS FOOD: Xiang Yun Vegetarian Hut (香云素食坊) @ Yeap Chor Ee Road, Gelugor, Penang.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Xiang Yun Vegetarian Hut (香云素食坊) @ Yeap Chor Ee Road, Gelugor, Penang.

**Xiang Yun at Yap Chor Ee Road has ceased its operation.**

Who would have expected a vegetarian shop nestled within a terrace house along Yeap Chor Ee Road? However, the opening of Xiang Yun Vegetarian Hut (香云素食坊) is indeed a great news for the nearby residents of Island Glades, at least the vegetarians know where to get their meals fixed right now. The name- Xiang Yun Vegetarian Hut (香云素食坊) should be familiar for those who are in the know, the main branch has been in operation for quite a few years at Kompleks Lebuh Nipah (the food court right next to Vistana Hotel Penang) and has garnered many regular patrons since then. Despite their menu is simple and may have limited choices for some, but the restaurant deserves more recognition for promoting healthy diet at very affordable prices.

Spicy Udon (Rm 5) is a worth-trying dish at Xiang Yun. The fat Japanese Noodles were blanched and served with Dark Soy Sauce then topped with julienned Carrots, Nori/ Japanese Seaweed, assorted mock Meat and Lettuce. The real draw of this dish is the additional Chili Paste given, albeit not too spicy but it does give a hint of spiciness, adding another layer of dimension to the otherwise, predictable flavors. While we were delighted with the impressionable quality of their sauce, the surprise awaits us was the generous amount of assorted mock Meat given. Good value of money I must say.

I was new to Koay Teow Th'ng (Rm 3.50), the vegetarian version to be exact. It has some mock meat, with mock Fish Balls and topped with julienned Lettuce and Bird's Eye Chilies. Unlike the ordinary Flat Rice Noodles/ Koay Teow, Xiang Yun's was wider but equally smooth in texture. The soup was reasonably seasoned with indelible sweetness. A decent dish but not my favorite.

Vegetarian Rojak (Rm 5) may not seem too convincing but it is indeed a refreshing dish to end your meal. It has the standard fruits- Jicama, Cucumber, Mangoes, Pineapples, well-tossed in their home-made vegetarian Rojak sauce and completed with a sprinkle of crushed Peanuts. The sauce was okay but not comparative with the version with Hae Kor (Prawn Paste), a good substitution for the vegetarians nevertheless.

Sweet ending was Mung Bean Soup (Rm 1.50 for dine-in, Rm 2 for take-away), the heart-warming dessert has a perfect balance of sweetness and thickness. It was not too starchy nor watery, just perfect for my liking; but you may be wondering: it looks like a normal bowl of Mung Bean Soup? The answer is Yes, no frills but well-executed, no complains for that price tag.